Consider this Panther the real/reel deal
Saucon Valley’s Jones has future film project material
Jake Jones’ future includes a career in film, hopefully starting next year at New York University, which has one of the nation’s premier film study programs.
One of Jones’ potential future projects was inspired by real-life recent events.
“Losing 50-5 to Notre Dame the week before then winning [the PIAA Class 2A team title],” he said. “that literally can be a movie plot.
“I’m going to have that in the works one day.”
That script will be strengthened because of what the Panthers’ state team title meant to all of their wrestlers, including Jones, a returning state runner-up.
“Last year when we won the team state title,” Jones said, “that was higher than anything I’ve ever accomplished. Making the state final [in the Class 2A 172-pound weight class] was so low compared to that.”
“It was such a great moment in my wrestling career to share with the team. That was the climax.
Jones was a significant contributor. There were many others, several are returning for another journey. Perhaps no one gave more for the team than Cole Hubert.
The freshman dropped weight and maintained it at 106 pounds because no one else could do it. Hubert never thought twice about it. He also never missed weight.
Hubert won the season-opening Tom Best Memorial Top Hat tournament, then medaled at the Beast of the East. He also delivered in the postseason. He was 4-1 at the state team tournament, second in District 11, third at the Southeast Regional, and fourth in the state at the individual tournament.
“[The team state title] was definitely the highlight of the season,” Hubert said. “The whole experience with the team. That was the goal from the beginning.
“It would be great to repeat.”
Saucon Valley lost several standouts from last year’s team and has one starter out indefinitely because of injury, so winning again will be difficult. But there are many talented Panthers capable of big things in 2022-23, including Jones and Hubert.
Experience is the one aspect most of the returnees have going for them. They were in difficult situations against stateand nationally ranked opponents. They faced adversity, but understood that they must tackle all obstacles together as a team.
Jones, a future director, is one of the Panthers’ leaders. He does so by example. Same for Hubert. Both are soft-spoken, but do everything the right way from drilling to weight management and match preparation.
Saucon Valley head coach Chad Shirk wants his returnees to maintain the edge and discipline it took to get through all that the team faced.
He also would love to see a sequel to last year’s spectacular ending.
“Looking back on the season, it will be fun years from now,” Shirk said. “It was the perfect storm. We battled injuries all year, guys were in and out the lineup. We were moving kids around.
“All three of [Notre Dame-Green Pond’s previous] matches combined, what they gave up didn’t equate to what we scored in the state final. If there was a betting line, it would have been way not in our favor. I have to believe it was a one of the biggest upsets in state tournament history.”
Panthers’ lineup: Shirk is working on the first two weight classes, but then should have a solid lineup starting at 121 thanks to a slew of returnees.
Hubert [121], Jackson Albert (district runner-up), Aiden Grogg (regional third) and Hector Mateo (district champion) will be taking the Panthers to the middle weights.
“My goal is to win at least one state title,” Hubert said. “So that’s my goal this year.”
Freshman Jerik Lesser and senior Mason Beckowski (152) get Shirk to the upper weights that is muddled at this point.
Jones will be up at 189 this season. Sophomore Jared Rohn, senior Liam Scrivanich (regional fourth), senior Ty Pfizenmayer (regional third at 285) and junior Landon Beckowski are all part of the mix.
Junior Leonidas Zaharakis could be among the upper weights, too. Freshman Brandon Pfanders will contribute at the lower weights.
Senior Travis Riefenstahl, a two-time district medalist, suffered an injury during football season and is not expected back before the postseason.
“We are going to have some new faces in the lineup,” Shirk said. “But we’re fortunate to still have kids who have varsity experience and postseason success. We’re going to be a blend. The kids who don’t have experience, we’re going to have to work to get them up to speed.
“We talked the other day about coming into the room every day with a purpose. Don’t come in here trying to lose weight or getting through the day. Every day, we’ve got to get better.”
Saucon Valley’s 2022-23 schedule
(at 7 p.m. unless noted)
Dec. 2: Tom Best Memorial Top Hat tournament at Williamsport, 5 p.m.
Dec. 3: Tom Best Memorial Top Hat tournament at Williamsport, 10 a.m.
Dec. 7: Pen Argyl, 6 p.m. Dec. 14: Bangor
Dec. 17-18: Beast of the East at University of Delaware
Dec. 21: at Northwestern
Dec. 28-29: Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic at Liberty
Jan. 4: Southern Lehigh
Jan. 6: at Catasauqua Jan. 11: at Wilson
Jan. 14: Souderton’s Big Red Duals, 9 a.m.
Jan. 20: at Notre Dame-GP
Jan. 21: Northern Lebanon’s Berserker Duals, 10 a.m.
Jan. 25: Palisades
Jan. 29: Colonial League tournament at Catasauqua
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall. com
We rely on the support of our subscribers to fund our journalism. If you’re not already signed up, we hope you will consider subscribing. Already a print subscriber? If you haven’t already, please activate your digital access.